Storyboardthat.com

Storyboardthat.com is a free resource that allows the user to make their very own comic. Students can recreate scenes in a book, make advertisements, or find a humorous way to share the meaning of vocabulary words. The possibilities are endless as a storyboard allows for a fun and creative outlet for learning. 

Students can use this on any type of device as it is HTML5 compatible. I made this video using a PC, but attempted it on an iPad as well. I found the iPad version to be surprisingly smooth and easy to use. All of the features function the same except for the print button. Pressing print on the iPad takes the user to a separate page where the item can be saved as an image using a screenshot or printed if you have iPad friendly printers. 

One thing to consider before having your students use Storyboard That is the privacy policy. All works created on the free accounts are available to the public. So students need to be aware that anything they submit can be seen by the public and they do not have control of those privacy settings. Personal information needs to be kept private. This includes (both personal and of classmates): images, names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. This information should be covered with students by looking at section (e) in the Terms of Use Policy of Storyboard That. 

Another issue to consider: users under the age of 13 need to have parent permission. My school district has already obtained parent permission to use this site through an acceptable use policy that parents sign at the beginning of the school year. This eliminates a lot of the frustration of obtaining permission throughout the year for the various online resources teachers use. 

Since the students are using a free account, they are only permitted to have two storyboards at a time. I would recommend having the student click "print" to save completed works and delete when a new storyboard is needed. There is a download feature. However, this requires that students can access email from outside sources.

As a teacher, I recommend trying Storyboard That for yourself. Create a great hook to start a lesson off. This will get the attention of your students, and it is fun!